Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-09-09
transportation, Horses aud Haul
IFor the Dispatch.l


IFor the Dispatch.l
A problem now confronting the fu-
ture growth Of this city is that of trans
portatlon-not OF people, but of heavy
weights, and particularly of building
material, such as stone, bricks, and
sand. While much has been done OF
late for the quick and cheap transit OF
passengers, but little has has been done
in the way of relieving draught-ani-
mails those engaged in heavy hauling,
whose strength and willingness IS inn
posed upon to a cruel extent. The
blood of "all lovers of horse-hesh y is
made to curdle at the sight of these no.
BILE animals tugging up the streets OF
this "City Of Hills" On the con-
trary, instead of looking to the
interest of the draught-animals, 10y
silly ordinance persons using
draught-animals are denied the use
of the streets having the easiest grades,
and are forced to haul over the streets
having the steepest and most incon-
venient grades. This ordinance should
be repealed at once for other reasons
than mere consideration of the horses
and mules. 1t is plainly law in favor
of one class of citizens to the injury
of another. Pray "upon what meat
hath these Caesars fed"-these deni-
zens of favored streets-that they
should be granted immunity from the
noise and dust of the city's street traf-
fic, and that the endless caravan OF
wagons and carts should be made to
lumber over Cary and Clay streets ?
Why this favoring of one class to the
| injury Of another? Richmond Is said
| TO have more horses to the square yard
than any other city in the United
States. This preponderance of ami
mails is due partly TO this unjust legls-
lation in forcing teamsters to use the
most inconvenient streets, thus causing
| q doubling of teams, but it is mostly
| due TO the generally unfavOrable topo.
I graphy of the city, every street OF
which has its steep hill. This excess
of animals is remarked upon by all
strangers visiting our city.
The Livery stable smell OF even
Franklin and Grace streets Is offensive
TO a nauseating degree, especially IN
fine weather, after an evening drive.
Unsightly manure-heaps are strewn
from one end to the other OF these splen-
did avenues.
For the sakeof horse-hesh it is hoped
that the competing lines of street-rall'
ways will reduce the number OF ami
mails kept in this city, and thus pre-
vent il from becoming an immense
livery stable-or, at least, concentrate
the animals so that the offensive odor
of the stable Will not be so generally
difused. But more directly 10 my
subject, the transportation OF building
materials of various kinds. As yet fol
the long and steep haul no remedy has
/ been proposed, and 10 make matters
worse Richmond will persist in growing
westward that is, further away from
her base of building supplies, such AZ
bricks, stone, and sand Manchester
and Rockets, which alone furnish the
clay for bricks. are now five miles OF
thereabouts from the West End, where
the most building Is III progress
killing distance for animals, especially
on account of the hills to be encoun
tered. One horse in New York vii
haul twice as much as one can in thi
city-that is, double the weight. Al
ready the cost OF hauling bricks pei
thousand is one third the cost Of then
manufacture, and if the city continues
to grow westward this item of build
ing will make the use OF bricks very
high and building mpracticable, unless
of stone, large quarries OF which are II
the neigborhood of the West End, and
to which the city is growing.
The hauling Of bricks by carts cost
not less than 3l0,0 per annum. Thii
TACT, together with that OF the great de
struction Of animals engaged in this
traffic by their becoming manned
should cause some device TO be invent
ed by which this expense might b'
lessened, otherwise the growth OF th'
city must be retarded, or, what woulC
be better, will be forced TO grow east
ward. The writer upon visit to Neg
York city attributes It's greatness to 1t
nearness, or rather its accessibility, t
building material of every kind
Bricks, for instance, can be brough
from thirty.fve miles up the Hudsol
and put down in any part Of the cit,
for less sum than they can be haule'
from Rockets to the West End, an'
the same can be said Of stone an'
sand--that is, tagging and perhap
other stone.
In conclusion, this communication i
written-frst, from q sanitary view, Il
lessen the number of animals with th'
accompanying nuisance OF their stabl'
odors second, from sympathy for tina
noble animal the horse, whose hare
usage here is crying shame and last
ly, in the interest of cheap houses 70
the people. which this large item o
hauling is placing almost beyond tn
reach Of persons of ordinary means
Can the street railways help US out il
this long and killing "haul
G.. Il. ID.